The present invention relates to a wiper arm.
German Published Patent No. 23 26 183 describes a wiper arm which includes a plastic cover cap. It is mounted on the securing member and is retained on a bearing bush of the hinged joint by open bearing eyes in a manner allowing it to swivel. The cover cap completely covers the securing member, particularly the connection area to a wiper shaft and the hinge bearing of the hinged joint. On the inner side, the cover cap also has stop webs which guide and retain it on the securing member. The hinge member engages with its u-shaped profile in the region of the hinged joint over the cover cap, so that lateral rivet heads of a hinge pin and gaps between the hinge member and the cover cap, particularly on the upper side, which may be desirable for the swivelling motion of the hinge member may be seen. The visual impression may thereby be disturbed.
According to the present invention, adjacent to the cover cap toward the hinge member is a movable hinge cap which may be coupled to the hinge member and may cover the hinged joint, while it is guided on the securing member and the cover cap, respectively, in a manner so that it may swivel and move in the longitudinal direction. The hinge cap includes a u-shaped cross-section which may be adapted to the profile of the cover cap and the profile of the hinge member, a smooth and harmonious transition may thereby be formed in the hinge region. In addition, the hinge pin may be covered, so that overall, the hinged joint may receive an aerodynamically favorable form.
For securing purposes, the hinge cap may include on the inner sides of its side walls, studs which engage in holes in the side walls of the hinge member and in elongated holes in the side walls of the securing member, respectively. In this context, the studs may be dimensioned such that, during assembly by pushing the side walls of the hinge cap apart, they may snap into these holes and the hinge cap may be mounted on the hinge member in a simple manner and without additional expenditure.
While the hinge cap may be rotationally mounted in the circular holes of the hinge member, in addition, the elongated holes in the securing member may be used as elements for the kinematic guidance of the hinge cap.
When the wiper arm is lying against the vehicle windshield, the ends of the side walls of the hinge cap may partially overlap the side walls of the hinge member to the outside, while the side walls of the cover cap may overlap the side walls of the hinge cap a bit to the outside. In addition, in this extended position, the cover wall of the hinge cap may join up flush with the cover wall of the cover cap and of the hinge member, resulting in a visually closed form of the wiper arm. At the same time, this may be aerodynamic and may produce almost no wind noise.
During the swinging process, the hinge member may be raised from the vehicle windshield. In this context, the kinematics of the hinge cap may be configured such that the end of the hinge cap allocated to the hinge member is raised, while the end of the hinge cap pointing toward the securing member is lowered and plunges into a free space between the cover cap and the securing member.
Thus, the swinging process may not be hindered by the hinge cap, and the hinged joint may be covered even in this position. When the wiper arm lays down on the vehicle windshield, the parts may lie contiguous to one another again without a gap.
Given the covering of the wiper arm according to the present invention, in principle it may be possible to retain the usual hinge construction. If the hinge member and/or the securing member is/are configured as bent sheet-metal parts, the holes and elongated holes for the sequence of motion may be simply and cost-effectively produced by punching. In addition, due to the covering in the hinge region, it may be possible for the cover wall of the securing member to be taken back in the hinge region. The normally closed form of the securing member in the region of the hinged joint may no be longer necessary, which likewise may reduce the production cost.
The hinge cap and the cover cap may be produced from plastic by injection molding. The plastic may simultaneously be wear-resistant, dimensionally stable and stabilized with respect to ultraviolet light, or may be able to be lacquered. In order to avoid material accumulations in the region of the studs, they may be ring-shaped in cross-section and may have openings at the periphery which permit a lateral ejection from the mold. In addition, pre-molded on the inner sides of the side walls of the hinge cap may include ribs which improve the guidance during the swinging process and prevent jamming of the components.
Furthermore, the configuration of the cover cap and of the hinge cap may be so adjusted to one another and so adapted to the hinge member and the vehicle that the quality of the product may become apparent. With the embodiment of the caps as an add-on part, the configuration and thus the appearance of the windshield wiper may easily be changed, using identical hinge components. Finally, when working with a short securing member, the cover cap and the hinge cap may be combined to form a one-piece component which may be mounted in the same manner as the hinge cap on the hinge member and securing member.